Method for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus with an inertia resistance wheel and a resistance-providing apparatus employing the same

ABSTRACT

A method for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus with an inertia resistance wheel and a resistance-providing apparatus employing the same wherein a temporary removal of the resistance produced by the resistance-providing apparatus is achieved when a crank of the exercise apparatus is located in the range of the force-application dead point. The resistance-providing apparatus provides the original and prearranged exercise resistance when the crank is situated in a better force-acting range. In this way, the exercise process is more smoothly operable. Moreover, an expected fitness effect created by the exercise resistance can be maintained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the Invention

The invention relates to a method for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus with an inertia resistance wheel and a resistance-providing apparatus employing the same, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus that permits a more smooth operation of the exercise apparatus with a satisfied fitness effect by application of a proper exercise resistance.

2. Description of the Related Art

The so-called exercise apparatuses with an inertia resistance wheel relates to conventional indoor exercise apparatuses including fitness bikes, an elliptical cross trainers, rowing exercisers, etc. The inertia resistance wheel is often constructed as a flywheel. A unidirectional bearing is mounted on the shaft of the flywheel. The flywheel will be in-place-rotated in single direction by the drive of a sprocket and a transmission chain 28 after the operator applies a force to the crank. Moreover, the inertia rotation creates an exercise-assisting force for the operator to apply the force to the crank during the exercise session. Therefore, it is quite normal to install a resistance-providing apparatus at the tangential position of the operation of the flywheel (including a magnetic resistance apparatus or a frictional resistance apparatus). The strength of the resistance is adjustable by approaching the resistance-providing apparatus and the flywheel to each other or by moving them away from each other. In this way, the operator will feel the prearranged exercise resistance when he applies a drive force to the crank. As a result, a fitness state is achieved by the exercise.

As shown in FIG. 1, it is harder for the operator to apply force when the crank 10 approaches to the top and bottom position of the vertical angle in the circular movement path 12 of the crank 10. Therefore, the area of 10°˜15° before and after the vertical angle of the crank is called as the range A of the force-application dead point. Meanwhile, the area of 30°˜150° before and after the vertical angle of the crank is called as the better force-acting range B. According to the conventional exercise apparatuses, all of their resistance-providing apparatuses apply a prearranged resistance force to the flywheel during the whole exercise session. As a result, the operator feels the exercise resistance during the entire exercise session no matter where the crank 10 is located. However, an inertia exercise-assisting force acting on the crank to assist the operator for applying force is not created during the initial force-application moment or during the deceleration when the crank 10 is located just in the range A of the force-application dead point. The reason for that lies in that the flywheel is still not ready for rotation or the inertia speed is still not enough. Consequently, the operator will be frustrated in applying force at this moment. The frustration will be reduced when the flywheel accelerates to some extent to produce the inertia rotation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the invention is to eliminated the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a method for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus with an inertia resistance wheel and a resistance-providing apparatus employing the same that ensures a temporary removal of the exercise resistance force within the range of the force-application dead point and a renewed provision of the exercise resistance force within the better force-acting range. In this way, the operator can easily drive the crank when the crank is just located within the range of the force-application dead point. In this way, any frustration feeling won't be created or a difficult force-application won't take place. As a result, an excellent smooth feeling is created during the whole exercise sessions.

According to the invention, a temporary removal of the resistance produced by the resistance-providing apparatus is achieved when a crank of the exercise apparatus is located in the range of the force-application dead point. The resistance-providing apparatus provides the original and prearranged exercise resistance when the crank is situated in a better force-acting range.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the movement path of the crank;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a preferred application embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the movement of the crank according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the adjustment of the exercise resistance according to FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of another application embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show various embodiments of the invention.

The resistance-providing apparatus in accordance with the invention has a mechanic or an electromagnetic control system. It will be described more hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a mechanic resistance-providing apparatus is applied to a fitness bike 20. It is apparent from the drawings that the fitness bike 20 includes a bike frame 21, an upright frame 23 with an electronic console 22, a seat tube 25 with a saddle 24, a pedal crank 26, a sprocket 27 driven by the pedal crank 26, a transmission chain 28, an inertia resistance wheel 29, and a resistance-providing apparatus 40. A cam 30 synchronically rotatable with the pedal crank 26 is interposed between the pedal crank 26 and the sprocket 27 in such a way that the cam 30 is in constant contact with a contact portion 45 of a magnetic resistance assembly 44. The resistance-providing apparatus 40 includes a support post 41, a resistance-adjusting element 42, a magnetic resistance assembly 44, and an elastic element 47. The support post 41 is pivotally coupled to the bike frame 21. The resistance-adjusting element 42 is pivotally coupled to the bike frame 21 and situated beside the support post 41. An action portion 43 is pivotally coupled to the support post 41 to impart the right and left motion to the support post 41. The middle portion of the magnetic resistance assembly 44 is pivotally disposed at the top of the support post 41. A contact portion 45 facing to the cam 30 is located at one end of the magnetic resistance assembly 44. A magnetic resistance action portion 46 is formed at the other end thereof in such a way that the magnetic resistance action portion 46 is just situated at the tangential position of the operation of the inertia resistance wheel 29. The elastic element 47 is interposed between the support post 41 and the contact portion 45 of the magnetic resistance assembly 44 such that the contact portion 45 is constantly pushed in direction of the cam 30, thereby achieving a constant contact between them.

Based on the assembly of the above-mentioned components, the angle of the pivotal connection between the magnetic resistance assembly 44 and the support post 41 is changed due to the shape of the cam 30 when the pedal crank 26 is moved to impart a rotary motion to the cam 30. When the pedal crank 26 is located in the range A of the force-application dead point, the magnetic resistance action portion 46 will be moved away from the inertia resistance wheel 29, thereby achieving a temporary removal of the resistance force acting on the inertia resistance wheel 29 (see the position shown in FIG. 3). When the pedal crank 26 is situated in a better force-acting range B, the magnetic resistance action portion 46 will be returned to the original resistance-providing position (see FIG. 2).

Referring to FIG. 4, the support angle of the support post 41 may be changed by the action portion 43 of the resistance-adjusting element 42 through the operation of the electronic console 22 such that the magnetic resistance action portion 46 of the magnetic resistance assembly 44 approaches more to the inertia resistance wheel 29, thereby increasing the exercise resistance. In this way, the exercise resistance can be adjusted any way you like.

Referring to FIG. 5, an electromagnetic control device serves as a resistance-providing unit and is applied to an elliptical cross trainer 50. The elliptical cross trainer 50 includes a main frame 5 1, an upright frame 53 having an electronic console 52, treadle connecting rods 55 imparting a rotary motion to the cranks 54 (thereby should be a pair of the treadle connecting rods 55, and only one thereof is drawn for a clear illustration), a sprocket 56 driven by the crank 54, a transmission chain 57, an inertia resistance wheel 58, and a resistance-providing apparatus 59. The resistance-providing apparatus 59 is actually an electromagnetic generator that creates an exercise resistance against the inertia resistance wheel 58. The strength of the magnetic resistance produced by the electromagnetic generator can be adjusted at will by means of the electronic console 52. According to the embodiment, an optical detection disc 60 is interposed between the crank 54 and the sprocket 56 and synchronically moved with the crank 54. The optical detection disc 60 is provided with a plurality of position-determining base points 61 in coordination with a sensor 70 disposed at a certain position such that an accurate detection of the angle of the crank 54 is achieved at any time. In this way, the resistance-providing apparatus 59 is electrically disconnected when the crank 54 is located within the range A of the force-application dead point, thereby achieving a temporary removal of the resistance force acting on the inertia resistance wheel 58. When the crank 54 is situated in a better force-acting range B, the electric connection of the resistance-providing apparatus 59 will be resumed at once such that the resistance will be created again.

Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A method for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus with an inertia resistance wheel and a resistance-providing apparatus employing the same, the method comprising: temporarily removing the resistance produced by the resistance-providing apparatus when a crank of the exercise apparatus is located in the range of the force-application dead point; and using the resistance-providing apparatus to provide the original and prearranged exercise resistance when the crank is situated in a better force-acting range.
 2. The method and the apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the resistance-providing apparatus is mechanically operated.
 3. The method and the apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the resistance-providing apparatus is electromagnetically operated.
 4. A resistance-providing apparatus with an inertia resistance wheel for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus the exercise apparatus comprising: a main frame, an upright frame with an electronic console, a pedal crank, a sprocket driven by the pedal crank, a transmission chain, an inertia resistance wheel, and a resistance-providing apparatus; wherein a cam synchronically rotatable with the pedal crank is interposed between the pedal crank and the sprocket in such a way that the cam is in constant contact with a contact portion of a magnetic resistance assembly; wherein the resistance-providing apparatus includes: a) a support post pivotally coupled to the main frame; b) a resistance-adjusting element pivotally coupled to the main frame and situated beside the support post, an action portion being pivotally coupled to the support post so as to impart the right and left motion to the support post; c) a magnetic resistance assembly having a middle portion pivotally disposed at the top of the support post, a contact portion facing to the cam being located at one end of the magnetic resistance assembly; a magnetic resistance action portion being formed at the other end thereof in such a way that the magnetic resistance action portion is just situated at the tangential position of the operation of the inertia resistance wheel; and d) an elastic element interposed between the support post and the contact portion of the magnetic resistance assembly such that the contact portion is constantly pushed in direction of the cam, thereby achieving a constant contact between them; whereby, the angle of the pivotal connection between the magnetic resistance assembly and the support post is changed due to the shape of the cam when the pedal crank is moved to impart a rotary motion to the cam; wherein, when the pedal crank is located in the range of the force-application dead point, the magnetic resistance action portion will be moved away from the inertia resistance wheel, thereby achieving a temporary removal of the resistance force acting on the inertia resistance wheel; and when the pedal crank is situated in a better force-acting range, the magnetic resistance action portion will be returned to the original resistance-providing position.
 5. A resistance-providing apparatus, with an inertia resistance wheel for providing a resistance to an exercise apparatus, the exercise apparatus comprising: a main frame, an upright frame having an electronic console, a crank, a sprocket driven by the crank, a transmission chain, an inertia resistance wheel, and a resistance-providing apparatus; wherein the resistance-providing apparatus is an electromagnetic generator that creates an exercise resistance against the inertia resistance wheel; wherein the strength of the magnetic resistance produced by the electromagnetic generator is adjustable via the electronic console; wherein an optical detection disc is interposed between the pedal crank and the sprocket and synchronically moved with the pedal crank; wherein the optical detection disc is provided with a plurality of position-determining base points in coordination with a sensor disposed at a certain position such that an accurate detection of the angle of the pedal crank is achieved at any time; wherein the resistance-providing apparatus is electrically disconnected when the pedal crank is located within the range of the force-application dead point, thereby achieving a temporary removal of the resistance force acting on the inertia resistance wheel; and wherein, when the pedal crank is situated in a better force-acting range, the electric connection of the resistance-providing apparatus will be resumed at once such that the resistance will be created again. 